Today in Biofuels Opinion: “Choice is not between biofuels or not, but between sustainable and unsustainable biofuels”

A post at Renewable Energy Access said that “It is important to note that biofuels growth has not been primarily driven by environmental concerns. Instead, worries over energy security and demands for rural development have provided the greatest impetus. With oil at record prices and supply uncertainties increasing, these drivers are only becoming stronger. Placed in this economic and political context, it becomes clear that the choice is not between biofuels or not, but between sustainable and unsustainable biofuels.”

A commentator writes at Canada.com, “History may record that the legacy of outgoing U.S. President George W. Bush was the mess in Afghanistan and Iraq, but he will have done far more damage with his 2005 mandate to blend 35 billion U.S. gallons of ethanol into gasoline by 2017.”

European Commission president José Barroso said that biofuel is “not significant” as a contributor to rising food prices, blaming oil price increases.

BF Oils chief Robert Starling said “Some companies are using the biofuels debate to mask what’s happening internally. In the UK, we have made the mistake of building a manufacturing plant and then finding the feedstock. You are almost best securing the supply of feedstock first.”

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